With its European influences and southern style, Mobile is the quiet belle of the ball: a laid-back city where you can learn about the region’s history, cuisine and style. It is also the original home to one of America’s best-known annual festivals.

Established in 1702, the city of Mobile was the first capitol of French Louisiana, and one year later, in the area of the city called Twenty Seven Mile Bluff, settlers held the first Mardi Gras celebrations. In 1711, the city hosted the first carnival parade in North America on Mobile’s Dauphin Street.

Although the city may be overshadowed by the well-known boisterous festivities of its next door neighbour New Orleans, Mobile helped launch that city’s Mardi Gras through the formation of the Mistick Krewe of Comus. Created by three Mobile and three New Orleans businessmen, the group was inspired by the Cowbellian de Rankin Society, formed by Mobile resident Michael Kraft to kick off the New Year in 1832 with a parade and live music made with hoes, rakes and cowbells.

After the Civil War, Mobile city clerk Joe Cain revived Mobile’s Mardi Gras in 1868, leading the parade dressed as fictional Chickasaw Chief Slacabamorinico. His devotion to bringing back Mardi Gras led to the Sunday before Fat Tuesday celebrated annually as Joe Cain Day since 1967, where any resident can participate in the parade.

Learn about Mobile’s Mardi Gras:

The Mobile Carnival Museum reveals the traditions of Mardi Gras through past decades with photos, posters, souvenirs, memorabilia and numerous costumes. The eye-catching, heavily embellished outfits of the kings and queens of the carnival are the most impressive, revealing the generations of families devoted to Mardi Gras traditions.

One of the Queen of the Carnival costumes at the Mobile Carnival Museum. [Waheeda Harris]

The city’s history includes the French, British and Spanish and its role as a port in the early United States of America. At the History Museum of Mobile‘s Mary Jane Slaton Inge Gallery, visitors will discover Mardi Gras souvenirs from several of the city’s mystic societies, such as jewellery inspired by French Empress Josephine for court participants and a king’s crown from the 1930s.

The Art and Design of Mardi Gras, an exhibition open until May 2015 at the Mobile Museum of Art, shows off the colourful traditions of Mobile’s Mardi Gras, with installations from well-known parade builders, detailed costumes from participants, colourful posters and party invitations.

Want to go to Mardi Gras?

Mobile’s Mardi Gras season kicked off on January 17. It is a month-long series of events including elegant balls, crowning of kings and queens and lively parades leading up to the culmination of this city’s passion for its past and present on Tuesday February 17, Mardi Gras day for 2015. With the second largest organized celebrations, Mobile offers plenty of opportunities to dress in the purple, gold and green and catch throws such as beads, candy, toys and, unique to this city,: moon pies.

The lobby of the Battle House Renaissance Hotel, nicknamed the living room of Mobile and center of Mardi Gras festivities. [Waheeda Harris]

Visitors can get a taste of the festivities visiting the city in January and early February, (parades are free to attend, balls are by invitation) and perfect for those who want to experience fun and festivities but not the over the top crowds.

Visiting Mobile:

Transportation – Travellers can access Mobile via flight connections at its local airport or through nearby Tallahassee, Florida or New Orleans, Louisiana for more flight options via American airlines.

Accommodation – the elegant Battle House Renaissance Hotel is the center of revelry during Mardi Gras thanks to being on three out of four Mardi Gras parade routes and host of several parties in its historic ballroom. Opened in 1852, the hotel was built on the site of Andrew Jackson’s 1812 military headquarters War. Closed in 1974, the hotel was restored and revived in 2007, becoming a member of the Historic Hotels of America.

Dining – fuel up pre-parade with modern Southern cuisine at Noble South, a bistro that offers traditional tastes with a twist such as watermelon and lump crab salad, crispy pig ears with kale, rabbit and dumplings or wahoo with stewed tomato, okra and country ham. For hearty cuisine with a dash of humour and history, Wintzell’s Oyster House offers a fun post-parade hangout and southern faves such as po’boys, grilled oysters, gumbo and fried green tomatoes.

Travel tips – Local plantation homes such as Oakleigh House, Bragg-Mitchell Mansion, Richards DAR House and the Bellingrath Gardens and Home are open for daily tours, and provide a social history of Mobile’s influential families from the 18th to the 20th centuries through architecture, furniture, accessories and gardens.

Weather – daily temperatures range from 12-16C in January and February plus humidity.

The author was a guest of the Mobile Bay Visitors and Convention Bureau, which neither viewed or approved this article prior to publication.